A WOMAN'S PROROGERTIVE
by JOVANKA
Summary: AFTER LEAVING STELLA IN NEW ORLEANS AFTER A BITTER ROW MAC THINKS HE SEES HER IN NEW YORK OR DOES HE?
1. Chapter 1

**A Woman's Prerogative.**

**LEGAL STUFF:-All characters etc belong to CSI HQ and not me.**

**A/N:-Just to say thank you to everyone who have been kind enough to post comments about my fics and to say that I do hope to be able to finish a few things off. Since today is February 29****th**** so kind of special I would like to dedicate this story to anyone who has a birthday, anniversary etc I hope you had a wonderful time. Just to be absolutely crystal clear if anyone from CSI HQ is reading this there has only ever been one woman for Mac and there will only ever be one woman our STELLA long live SMACKED!**

**New York 2/29/12 6pm**

Mac Taylor was having a truly bad day, so ok maybe for the most part it was his own fault after all he was the damn idiot who had told Stella that a long distance relationship was not enough for him and that she had to choose either him or a her job in New Orleans but he was not about to take the kind of crap he was getting off his team all day any longer no sir, no way, no how. Angrily he watched them file past him into the conference room first Jo then Flack followed by Danny, Lindsay and Hawkes then finally Adam, as they each took their customary seat Mac slammed the glass door shut with a bang and six people simultaneously grimaced.

"Ok people pop quiz time" Mac practically snarled "Where does Stella Bonasera now live and work?"

"Err...New Orleans" Adam squeaked out faintly.

"Correct" Mac huffed "She lives in New Orleans therefore I could not possibly have seen her in New York today could I? Say in Battery Park or Macy's."

"No" Six people mumbled guiltily all at once.

"No...something you all have repeatedly told me today over and over" Mac nodded "Therefore perhaps given that this is a highly skilled team of detectives someone can explain these to me" Without flinching he dumped a stack of photographs into the centre of the conference room table, photograph's of a certain curly haired, green eyed, half Greek ex NYPD detective clearly in New York date stamped 2/29/12.

**New York 2/29/12 5.30 Am**

Mac Taylor's cell phone sprung into life waking the dozing ex-marine instantly, not that Mac had gotten much sleep anyway that night or any of the nights for the past two weeks not since his last visit to New Orleans had gone so badly wrong. He hadn't meant to have said all those things to Stella and he had instantly regretted every last word, every single one, she'd kicked him out of her apartment and told him not to come back ever so what had he done had he got on his knees and begged for forgiveness now he'd stomped off back to New York where he'd been ever since "Sulking just like a big kid" As Jo had aptly described it. He'd tried calling Stella hundreds of times every day since, sent text messages, flowers, E-mails even tried Skyping her but Stella still point blank refused to talk to him. What made it worse he couldn't really blame her, he'd been the one to go all Neanderthal demanding that she put her career on hold and come back to New York and do what? Be his concubine? Stay permanently attached to the kitchen barefoot and pregnant? God he'd been such an asshole he deserved everything he got and more. Briefly Mac hoped for a miracle maybe she'd taken pity on him and decided to try again a guy could hope anyways couldn't he?

Opening his eyes Mac reached for his phone and sighed in disappointment as Don Flack's face flashed up at him "Hey Flack" He greeted his friend flatly.

"She's still not answered then I take it" Flack asked.

"You take it right" Mac replied.

"Well maybe this will take your mind off things for a while a John Doe found washed up at Battery Park Jo's gonna meet us there" He explained.

"Give me ten minutes" Mac rubbed his eyes tiredly clambering out of bed.

The sun was just peeking over the Statue of Liberty as he arrived and true to his word Mac found Flack and Jo waiting for him along with a mass of squad cars, uniformed officers and other assorted officialdom. Quietly and efficiently he and Jo got on with what they did best and processed the scene whilst Flack went about gathering witness statements and such like. Mercifully work meant a respite for Mac it took his mind off his Stella problem and the time passed quickly, finally he and Jo finished up what they were doing.

"Its way after seven how about we get some breakfast on the way back my treat" She offered as they made their way back to their cars on what appeared to be a dull, drizzly February morning in New York City.

"Thanks but no thanks I'm not really all that hungry" Mac shook his head miserably "Besides I really am not good company at the moment..." Mac stopped dead in complete and utter shock because right in front of him walking along the gang plank to the waiting Liberty Island Ferry in jeans, a turquoise sweater and her favourite leather jacket was Stella Bonasera, his Stella.

"Stella...wait up it's me Mac" He yelled at the top of his lungs and dropping his case and began to sprint towards the ferry but the woman either didn't hear him or care as she completely ignored his cries and climbed aboard the boat and the Ferry pulled away.

"Stella" Mac yelled frantically again but the Ferry continued on its way and she did not appear upon deck.

"What the heck is going on" Flack appeared from the direction of the port authority ticket booths and Jo caught then both up carrying both cases.

"Flack, she's here Stella's here in New York" Mac didn't know whether to be thrilled or terrified.

"Are you sure Mac? It's still fairly dark I mean maybe your mind is playing tricks on you" Flack didn't sound convinced.

"Jo you must have seen her too" Mac insisted.

"No I didn't Mac" Jo shook her head and passed him his case.

"But you must have" Mac was adamant "There is no way you could have missed her and for that matter she must have walked right past you too Flack."

"Nope not me Mac" Flack denied all knowledge "Just some touristy types."

"Alright I'll prove it to you" Mac declared "Flack call her ask her where she is."

"Awe come on Mac that's stupid" Flack rolled his eyes in disbelief.

"She still won't speak to me will she" Mac pointed out.

"I'll do it" Jo groaned "Anything for a quiet life."

Whilst the two men watched her Jo dialled up Stella's cell "Hey Stel it's me Jo...yes he is being a pain...tell me about it..."

"Get on with it" Mac harrumphed.

"Stella please will you tell us all where you are at this precise moment" Jo questioned her friend "At work in New Orleans Crime Lab yeah that's kind of what Flack and I said do you want to speak to Mac ...nope didn't think so see you soon" Jo switched her phone off.

"Satisfied" Flack grinned.

"Not especially" Mac stalked angrily off to his car, Mac was being lied to by his friends and more importantly Stella he was sure, he would know Stella's curls and her gorgeous curves anywhere even at midnight. No something was going on and he was going to find out what without the help of his friends evidently.

To be continued...

**A/N: As always all comments great fully accepted thank you.**


	2. Chapter 2

**New York 2/29/12 12.25 Pm**

An obviously pissed Mac Taylor stomped past Jo, Danny and Lindsay as they processed the trace evidence taken from Battery Park earlier.

"He's going to ask Adam again" Whispered Jo.

"That's the 3rd time in an hour..." Danny muttered under his breath.

"Poor guy" Lindsay sympathized.

"Which one" Jo whispered again.

"Both" Lindsay murmured and flinched as the aforementioned ex-marine turned briefly to glare at his three colleagues before resuming his journey.

"He's not buying it, he knows you and Flack lied earlier" Danny declared as Mac entered Adam's space.

"Yeah well needs must" Jo sighed "I just hope Stella knows what she is doing."

"For all our sakes" Lindsay readily agreed.

"Well" Mac impatiently questioned Adam.

"Hey boss" The younger man swallowed hard and sheepishly looked up from the bank of computer screens he was working on.

"Did you find anything yet..." Mac demanded to know.

"Um ... well you already know there was kinda problem with the CCTV feed around Battery Park today, some kind of computer glitch ..." Adam tried to explain.

"Which you were trying to fix" Mac said pointedly.

"I was...and I did sorta..." Adam winced.

"How sort of" Mac scowled.

"Well..." Adam pressed a button on his keyboard and some footage played, it clearly showed Battery Park at 7.30am that morning.

Mac watched intently convinced he finally had proof of Stella's whereabouts to confront Jo and Flack with. He could clearly see Flack, Jo and himself going about their various tasks right up until he and Jo finished then nothing, absolutely nothing just Snow on the recording at exactly the moment Stella should have entered the park to catch the Ferry when Mac knew she had.

"What the hell is that" Mac yelled so loud that Adam was sure they heard him all the way across town in Brooklyn.

"Computer glitch" The tech answered meekly.

"Oh I'm supposed to believe that am I" Mac fumed "An incredibly convenient computer glitch just at the exact moment Stella arrived at Battery Park."

"Stella's in New Orleans" Adam said quietly.

"She is not..." Mac exploded and grabbed the tech by his Spiderman t-shirt "...And somebody around here is going to tell me what the hell is going on."

"Mac stop it this is insane" Jo raced into the room followed by Danny and Hawkes who managed to separate their irate boss from the terrified Adam.

"Stella is in New Orleans" Adam repeated his earlier statement.

"We shoudda known" Danny groaned loudly.

"This again" Hawks rolled his eyes as they released Mac "Seriously?"

"Stella is here in New York" Mac insisted resolutely "I know I saw her and so did you" He told Jo defiantly.

"I did no such thing" Jo denied all knowledge just as resolutely "You were mistaken."

"I know what I saw" Mac stomped away.

"Where are you going now" Jo called after him.

"Lunch" Came his reply "A long one."

**New York 2/29/12 14.25 Pm**

Mac had been wandering aimlessly around Manhattan since the incident with Adam earlier contrary to what he'd told Jo he hadn't felt like eating at all and had spent a large part of the afternoon in Central Park brooding. He just couldn't understand why Stella and their friends would treat him this way; they were all lying to him and what was worse they all knew he knew that they were lying but they still refused to admit the truth. Even more worryingly what if something was wrong with Stella, what if she was sick and couldn't bear to tell him he didn't think he could cope with losing Stella like he'd lost Clare, no they might as well take him out back and shoot him now. With a heavy heart he found himself staring at his reflection in Macy's window wondering what the hell he'd done to deserve this. That's when another reflection caught his eye that of a woman across the street climbing into a yellow cab, a woman with coffee coloured curly hair and green eyes besieged with shopping bags and completely oblivious to his presence.

"Stella" He hollered out loud for the second time today and tried to get across the street unfortunately due to the volume of traffic he couldn't quite manage it before the cab headed off into the distance. He did however have a plan of action dashing into the Empire State Building he grabbed the nearest security guard and flashed his badge at him.

"Detective Taylor NYPD Crime Lab" He introduced himself "I need all the CCTV footage you have of the outside of this Building for the last few hours."

So it was a much happier Mac Taylor who returned to the Crime Lab later that afternoon having visited Macy's and several other establishments around town to collect CCTV footage from their Security Cameras.

"I don't want to be disturbed" He told a surprised Jo as he strolled past her practically grinning "If anyone asks tell them I'm out on enquiries" then he shut his office door firmly and pulled the blinds he had work to do!

**New York 2/29/12 6pm**

"Is no-one going to say anything" Mac asked and was met with complete and utter silence.

"Please guys I need to know is Stella sick? Is she in some kind of trouble? Is that what this is about" He pleaded fearfully but still got no replies.

Flack and Jo shared a look "She's fine Mac" Jo told him softly.

"A 'she's fine Mac' that's all I'm getting" Mac snapped.

"Pretty much" Shrugged Flack.

"Adam, Hawkes anybody else have anything to add" Mac demanded.

"No" They chorused although Adam looked like he was about to pass out and Hawkes was gripping onto the table so hard Mac swore the Doctor had drawn blood.

"Please tell me why she's here" Mac reined his temper in and appealed to his team once more "If Stella's in trouble then I want to do everything I possibly can to help her but I can't do that if I don't know what's happening."

"Mac we are sorry but honestly Stella is fine you'll just have to trust us" Lindsay sighed wearily.

"Trust you after today" Mac didn't know whether to roar laughing or burst into tears.

"She's right Mac everything is alright you just need to be patient" Danny advised him.

"Very patient" Flack agreed.

"Be patient?" Mac roared "Ok I've tried being reasonable and that didn't work so now I'm trying unreasonable if somebody doesn't damn well give me a straight answer then your all fired and yes I can do that since you all work for me and this comes under gross insubordination is that understood?"

Flack held his hand up "Actually not all of us work for you."

"Alright then do you actually relish the idea of a transfer to traffic Detective Flack because I can make that happen" Mac glowered.

"Well I always did look good in uniform" Quipped Flack.

"Mac you just need to be ..." Jo began.

"Patient" Mac finished "Well while I'm being patient you can all go and clear out your desks can't you."

**New York 2/29/12 7 Pm**

Mac frantically paced up and down his office, he'd hoped his threat to fire the entire team would have worked and someone, anyone would have broken by now and told him the truth but nobody had. Jo, Flack and Adam had taken refuge in the break room over coffee, Hawkes was pretending to finish off some paper work and Danny and Lindsay had left for the evening as if nothing had happened. In fact everything seemed normal, maddeningly normally except that Mac was mere seconds away from throttling someone, anyone at all.

BEEP! BEEP out of no-where his cell phone sprang into life, the ex-marine's first instinct was to throw it out of the nearest window till he realized who the text was from. Stella, Stella's lovely face smiled back at him from his phone and so he snatched it up eagerly. Pressing a few buttons he read the text message she'd sent 'Meet me at the Penthesilea, 7.30 Pier 52' nothing more, nothing less. Mac didn't stop to think about he grabbed his jacket and car keys then he practically ran to the elevator almost knocking over Hawkes as he went.

"She must have finally finished setting things up and called him" Hawkes sighed in relief.

"Thank heavens for that" Jo agreed as she, Flack and Adam came to join Hawkes.

"It'll all be worth it in the end" Flack reassured his friends "Everybody loves a happy ending don't they?"

"So are we unfired now then" Adam wondered.

**New York 2/29/12 7.30 Pm**

Mac arrived at Pier 52 at exactly 7.30pm to find Stella waiting for him by a small 1930's pleasure craft with Penthesilea stenciled proudly on her side.

"Hey Mac" She grinned happily at him.

"Are you alright Stel?" I've been so worried..." His words practically tumbled out "I'm so sorry about everything, I was wrong I know that now but please tell me your alright nothing else matters to me."

Stella opened her mouth to speak but before she could a tall man, with dark hair and eyes appeared on the Penthesilea's deck and interrupted "Stel is this him? Is this our guest of honor?"

"I'm absolutely fine and yes this is Mac" Stella confirmed to both men "Mac this is Tommy Yannos we were at St Basil's together and this is his boat."

"Pleased to meet you Mac" Tommy greeted the even more baffled Detective cheerfully "Welcome aboard the good ship Penthesilea."

"Come with me Mac" Stella took his hand and led him onto the boat.

"Ready" Tommy asked gleefully.

"Ready" Stella chuckled.

"Ok well you two enjoy your ride I'll go up front and get this show on the road just yell if you need anything" Tommy chuckled too then headed off towards the front of the boat.

Stella led Mac to the upper deck of the boat, which he realized was completely private and that they couldn't be seen even by Tommy. A table draped in a crisp white tablecloth and two chairs stood in the centre of the deck, on the table stood a candle burning brightly and dinner had been set for two. To one side stood a silver ice bucket containing a bottle of extremely expensive Champagne along with two crystal Champagne flutes. Fairy lights shone brightly above them and Sinatra was playing softly in the background, wafting from the gallery Mac detected the scent of his favorite Chinese Chicken.

That's when he felt the boat judder "Were moving" He said out loud.

"I thought you like to take a trip to Liberty Island with me tonight" Stella explained "Just us."

"I'd go anywhere with you Stel" He smiled "Absolutely anywhere but please will you tell me what is going on."

"Alright I guess I do owe you an explanation" Stella nodded to the table "Shall we take a seat?"

"Yes I think I really need to sit down" Mac followed her to the table and pulled out a chair for her.

"That's my Mac always the gentleman" She laughed as she sat down.

"Not always about decking that guy at the NOPD Valentine's Ball..." Mac began as he too took a seat.

"Yes about that I think we need to get a few things straight, I love you Mac I do, I always have and I always will but that doesn't mean that you can tell me what to do or who I talk too" Stella stated firmly.

"He had his hand on your ass" Mac protested.

"We were dancing" Stella pointed out.

"Slow dancing and his hand was still on your ass" Mac insisted "It was obvious what he wanted..."

"He's gay" Stella exclaimed "And even if he wasn't that's still no excuse for your behaviour can you blame me for throwing you out."

"No not at all" Mac shook his head miserably "I know I was wrong to demand you give your job up for me but I'm just a jealous moron who loves you more than you will ever know and can't bear the thought of being without you anymore there I've said it I just don't know what to do about it."

"Look up" She said simply.

"Look up" Mac was baffled again but did as she asked anyway; they had arrived just to the left of the Statue of Liberty and the Penthesilea had come to a stop. Lady Liberty was lit up brighter than a Christmas tree in the night sky and a huge luminescent banner hung from her crown it simply said 'Marry Me.'

"It's a leap year remember I can ask" Stella said and produced a ring box from her coat pocket.

"This is why you were in Battery Park this morning" The truth suddenly dawned on Mac "To arrange all this."

"I've been planning this for weeks with a little help from the team and Tommy of course" Stella admitted "Only I didn't count on a body washing up at Battery Park this morning or that you would see me there fortunately Jo and Flack managed to cover for me."

"Oh god I fired the whole team" He groaned.

"I'm sure they will understand Mac and you can always un fire them tomorrow" Stella stifled a giggle and opened the ring box "But you still haven't given me my answer, you were right either we are together or we go our separate ways neither of us can carry on like this so Macanna Llewellyn Taylor will you marry me?"

"Yes, definitely absolutely truly madly deeply yes" He yelled at the top lungs "I'd marry you right now if I could, I love you Stella."

"I love you too" She told him slipping an engagement ring over his finger "With all my heart."

Before she'd realized it Mac had grabbed her arm the he pulled her off her chair and in to his lap so that their bodies were entwined "With all my heart" He muttered as they melted into a kiss.

Finis


End file.
